Turbine.



' J. KNIGHT.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00Tl 29, 1907.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

THE NoRRls PETERS ca., wAsHlNuwN. n. c.

J. KNIGHT TURBINE. APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 29, 1907.

Patented' Jan. 3, 1911.

IN VE N TOR u@ fw WITNESSES TTORN E Y 1HE NoRms PE1-:Rs co.. wAsmivcroN. o. c.

FFIE.

JOSEPH KNIGHT, 0F HOLYHEAD, .ANGLESEY, ENGLAND.

TRBINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1907.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

sei-iai No. 399,760.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I JOSEPH KNIGHT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and residing at 4L Wesley Terrace, I-Iolyhead, Anglesey, England, engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Turbines, of which the following is the specification.

The main object of this invention is to construct power turbines, more particularly such as are to be driven by steam with a view to greater economy and eiciency in working, and compactness of space.

The main feature of this invention comprises an inner rotating member carried upon a shaft, and itself provided with vanes or blades around its periphery against which during any period of consecutive running the motive fluid operates in one direction of flow only; and an outer rotating member which surrounds the inner member and is provided with vanes or blades at its inner and also at its outer surface against which also, respectively, the motive fluid operates in one direction of flow only during any period of consecutive running; and a fixed casing which surrounds both members and has vanes or against which also during any period of consecutive running the motive fluid operates in one direction of flow only. The steam (or it may be other motive fluid) enters between the inner and outer rotating members at one end, moving such members, in opposite directions of rotation, and the steam passes, from between the inner and outer' rotating members, in the reverse direction, between the outer rotating member and the fixed casing. The vanes which are provided at the outer surface of the outer rotating member, are, of course, set the opposite way to those of the inner rotating member. The shaft of the outer rotating member is connected with the ends of such member by suitable arms, disks, flanges or the like, and is hollow and acts as bearings for the shaft of the inner rotating member; and, if the turbine is to be used simply as a stationary engine for ordinary purposes, the two shafts, which of course revolve in opposite directions, are suitably geared together, but, if the turbine is for use for propelling a vessel, the outer or the inner shaft, as desired, may be geared, either by connecting-rods, or otherwise, with a parallel shaft,

blades at its inner surface and a propeller be mounted either on the shaft of the outer or of the inner rotating member and another propeller be mounted on the parallel shaft with which the outer or inner shaft is geared as aforesaid, the two propellers being thus independently driven, namely, one by the outer rotating member and the other by the inner rotating member. To enable a vessel, however, to be conveniently maneuvered, in such case, two turbines are used side by side but spaced apart as required, driving four propellers. Without, in the case of a stationary turbine, gearing the shafts of the inner and outer rotating members together, the shaft of the inner rotating member may be coupled on to a dynamo or other machine, and the shaft of the outer rotating member be independently coupled to another dynamo or machine. The reversing of the turbine is eected by closing the steam inlet ordinarily used and the exhaust outlet ordinarily used and admitting steam between the outer rotating member and the fixed casing, in the opposite direction to that for forward running, and admitting this steam, as it passes out from between the ends toward which it is directed of the outer rotating member and the fixed casing into a special exhaust outlet through which it escapes to the atmosphere or condenser. In reversing, therefore, the drive is entirely through the outer rotating member.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, and readily carried out., I will now proceed to describe the features thereof which have been already described in general terms, and also other features by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, a practical application of the same, certain ofthe said other features forming the subject of an application for patent of the same date as this application.

Of these drawings z-Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a turbine constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the turbine with the upper half of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line o; of Fig. l. Fig. 4l is a section taken on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in seetion and partly in elevation illustrating the application of the controlling valves. Fig. (5 is a bearing face view of a ring used in making a steam-.tight joint atan outer end face of the turbine case. Fig. 7 shows, in section, to a still larger scale, an arrangement of rings for making a steam-tight packing between the outer rotating member and the surrounding casing. Fig. S shows an arrangement of two pairs of turbines, of which the turbines of each pair are arranged tandem fashion, and of which the pairs are adapted to independently drive twin screws and each pair to drive also through the medium of a parallel shaft, an outside screw'. Fig. 9 shows an arrangement in which t-wo turbines are adapted to independently drive twin screws, and each also to be utilized in driving an outside screw through the medium of a parallel shaft. Y

Referring first to Figs. l, 2 and 3, A is the inner rotating member of the turbine fixed upon a shaft A', B the outer rotating member, which is carried by a hollow shaft B which forms the bearings for the shaft A', and C the fixed casing which surrounds the outer member. The member A is formed of a number of lengths increasing in diameter toward the outflow end, but while this formation is preferred as enabling the vanes for each length to be made lexactly of the same size, and enabling them to be conveniently fixed, this particular formation of the member is not essential. The inner surface of the outer rotatingmember B is shaped to correspond with the formation of the outer surface of the inner rotatingV member A. Vanes project both from the outer surface of each length of the rotating member A and from the corresponding lengths of the inner surface of the rotating member B, being set of course to insure that the two members will revolve in oppositeV directions and the rings of vanes of the one member alternating with those of the other. Vanes project also from the outer surface of the rotating member B, for as far back as may be required from the rear end, as shown, and corresponding vanes project from the inner surface of the casing For forward running, steam enters through t-he branch C controlled by the valveC2 into a space D at the forward end D of the rotating member B, and passing through openings c through such end enters the annular space between the inner and outer rotating members, and passing longitudinally through the space drives such members in opposite directions of rotation, and passing out from between the rear ends of such members passes through openings c of a disk E which forms the rear end of the outer rotating member, into the space E behind such dislr, and then returns into the rear end ofthe space between the outer rotating member and the casing C, and flowing back through such space increases the propelling force tending to drive the outer rothe exhaust branch F tating member, and finally flows ont through controlled by the valve F2 and away to the condenser or atmosphere. Then it is desired simply to reverse the turbine, the steam is shut ofi' from the branch C and the outlet from the branch F is closed. Steam is then admitted through a branch G controlled by valve Gr2 into a space around the forward portion of the outer rotating member B which is cnt off from the space D, and this steam flows forward through the space between the outer rotating member and the casing C, and acting upon the vanes which project from the outer surface of such member drives such member in the reverse direction of rotation. The steam used in reversing the turbine fiows out from between the rear end of the outer rotating member B and the casing C into the space E aforesaid, and thence through an exhaust; branch G controlled by the valve Gr3 to the 4condenser or atmosphere.

If it is desired to utilize the turbine for driving one propeller through the medium of one of the shafts and another propeller through the medium of the other shaft, an arrangement such, for instance, as shown by Fig. 8 may be adopted, in which l is the tur bine, of which the shaft B of the outer rotating member is coupled direct to a propeller shaft B2, and of which the shaft A of the inner rotating member is connected or geared with a parallel shaft A such as through the medium of threethrow cranks a and connecting-rods as, the shaft A being coupled direct to a propeller shaft B3. 3 is a thrust-block for the shaft B2 and 4 a combined bearing and thrust-block for the shaft B. In Fig. 8 two turbines are shown arranged tandem fashion, but of course one of suflicient power may be used, if desired. The numerals 2 indicate the condensers into which the exhaust steam passes from the turbines l. In the arrangement shown by Fig. 8, two sets of turbines arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vessel are shown, driving four propellers, the two sets being independent of one another; but of course a single set, or a single turbine, may be used, to drive two propellers only, arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vessel. The arrangement of four propellers, however, affords special facility for maneuvering. Two propellers may be used for a vessel, driven, respectively, by the inner and outer rotating members of the turbine; or a single propeller may be driven by both the rotating members, the shafts of which are, for such purpose, geared together, and any desired number ofV propellers may be each driven in this manner by its own turbine.

In the arrangement shown by Fig. E). a. single turbine la is shown, having its shaft B coupled direct to a propeller shaft B2 and driving, through the medium of its shaft A and cranks and connecting-rods, a shaft A3 which is coupled to a propeller shaft B3, an auxiliar'y turbine lb, of any ordinary construction, being shown as an auxiliary for driving the shaft B. By the use of this auxiliary turbine the power used in driving the propeller shaft B3 can be made equal to that driving the propeller shaft B2, the power' of the outer rotary B being greater than that of the inner rotary A. The reversing may be effected by means of the auxiliary turbine and the outer rotating member of the main turbine. A second turbine la and auxiliary turbine lb are shown as simi lar-ly driving two propeller shafts at the other side of the longitudinal axis of the vessel. A condenser 2c is shown in connection with each set of turbines which comprise a turbine 1a and an auxiliary turbine lb.

To enable the outer rotating member B to be put properly into place in relation to the inner rotating member A, and a portion of such outer rotating member to be readily removed for inspection of the inner rotating member, the outer member is divided into halves longitudinally, and to enable the halves to be securely fixed together when placed around the inner rotating member, such halves are formed, along the edges thereof which extend forward of the portion around which the exterior vanes of the outer rotating member are arranged, with flanges a through which the halves are bolted together; and, for additional security, the halves are held together at the rear end by a rim fm of the disk or end E which is tapered slightly inside and is tightened over a correspondingly tapered portion of the rotating member B. The rings H, also, into which are fitted the vanes which project around the inside and outside of this rotating member, are each formed in halves (see Fig. 4) and are securely held from turning around or within such member by forming them each with key grooves 7c Which are slipped along over feather keys 7c carried by such member.

A fluid-tight joint is made at each place where the shaft A of the rotating member A passes into the hollow shaft B of the rotating member B, by means of a packing gland M around the shaft A which is pressed, from the steam side of the joint, against the packing within the stuffing-box. Each gland, however, is held also by pins and nuts. A fluid-tight joint is made at the outer face of the fixed case, at each end, by means of a faced ring N (Figs. 1 and 6) which is set up thereagainst through an elastic medium a which is applied within an annular groove of a backing-ring l?, disk, or collar, which is fixed around the hollow shaft B and into which groove an annular plug a enters from the back of the faced ring N. The elastic medium n, which may consist conveniently of india rubber covered with asbestos, may be set up by means of set screws at screwed through the back of the backing-ring I and bearing against a metal ring a2 which presses against the elastic medium. Each face ring N is formed in halves, as shown by Fig. 6, to enable it to be put in place, and the -halves are held together at each joint by a projection such as p of the one half which is let into a corresponding opening of the other half, each projection being formed enlarged at its outer end to give it a secure hold; and the bearing surface of each ring N, has, preferably, grooves a3 formed therein to reduce friction and minimize leakage.

In order to provide a fluid-tight joint or packing between the inside of the rear end of the casing C and the portion of the member B which rotates therein, an arrangement, such as shown in section by Fig. 7, may be adopted. In this figure, C shows a portion of one side of the rear end of the casing, and B a portion of the corresponding side of the rotating member.

R R (Fig. 7) are sections of rings which are pushed in between the surface of the member B and the casing C. The rings It are slipped over the member B, and held in place against turning in relation thereto by means of feather keys g spaced apart around the circumference of the member B, there being conveniently two of such keys spaced apart at an angle of about 90 degrees; and the rings B are slipped along inside the casing C and are prevented from turning by feather keys g of the casing. One of the rings It is pushed up against a shoulder r of the casing, and then one of the rings R is pushed up against such ring R', and the next ring R then pushed up against the ring R, and a further ring R pushed up against the second ring R', and so on for any number of rings, but usually four rings will be sufficient. The last ring is kept in place by a plate S fixed against the end of the member B and bearing against the outer surface of the ring. The rings B of course turn with the rotating member B, and are of a depth which insures that they will clear the keys q', while the rings R are stationary and of course of a depth to insure that the keys q will clear them. rIhe bear ing of the rings against one another insures the required tightness of the joint against the passage of fluid therethrough.

I'Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In rotary motors, a central revolving member, blades mounted on said member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member, blades mounted on the interior and exterior walls of said second member, a casing inclosing said member, means for the admission of power to the interio-r of said casing and said second member and means for the escape of power therefrom.

2. In rotary motors, a central revoluble member, blades mounted on said member, a second revoluble member inclo-sing said first member, blades on the interior wall of said second member, a casing inclosing said second member, blades on the exterior wall of said second member and blades on the interior wall of said casing, means for theV admission of power to the interior of said casing and said second member and means for the escape of power therefrom.

3. In rotary motors, a central revoluble member, blades mounted on said member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member, blades of opposing pitch to said first blades mounted on the interior wall of said second member and interposed in annular series with said first blades, a casing inclosing said second member, blades mounted on the interior wall of said casing, blades of opposing pitch to said blades on said casing mounted on the `outer wall of said second member and interposed in annular series with said blades on said casing, means for admitting power to the interior of said second member, means for the passage of power from said second member to said casing and means for the escape of power from said casing.

4c. A power turbine having inner and outer rotating members carrying` vanes or-blades which project within the annular space between them, and a fixed member which leaves an annular space between itself and one of the rotating members into which blades from the fixed member and from the said rotating member project, the motive fiuid having to pass in the ordinary use of the turbine endwise through both the annular spaces but in an opposite ldirection through the one to that in which it passes through the other.

5. A power turbine having an inner rotating member from the exterior surface of which vanes or blades project and a surroundingrotating member from the interior and exterior surfaces of which vanes or blades project, and a surrounding fixed casing from the inner surface of which vanes or blades project, the arrangement being adapted for the motive fluid to pass rst endwise through the annular space between the inner and outer rotating members into which the vanes orbl'ades of the inner rotating member and the inner vanes or blades of the outeg rotating member project driving such inner and outer rotating members in opposite directions of rotation,.and then to pass in the reverse direction endwise through the annular space between the outer rotating member and the casing within which the exterior vanes or blades of the outer rotating member and the vanes or blades of the casing project, and from thence to the exhaust or condenser.

6. In rotary motors, a central revoluble member, blades mounted on Said member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member, blades mounted on the interior and exterior walls of said second member, a casing inclosing said member, means for admitting a motive fluid within said casing and said second member for driving said revoluble members, and controllable means capable of operation to reverse the direction of flow of the motive fluid within said casing for reversing the direction of rotation of one of the members.

7. A rotary motor having an inner revoluble member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member but spaced therefrom to produce a passage for the flow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on said respective members within said passage, a casing inclosing said second revoluble member but spaced therefrom to produce a second passage communicating with said first passage and also adapted for the fiow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on the casing and said second member within said second passage, means for admitting fluid under pressure to one of the passages, and means for discharging such fluid from the other passage.

8. A rotary motor having an inner revoluble member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member but spaced therefrom to produce a passage for the flow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on said respective members within said passage, a casing inclosing said second revoluble member but spaced therefrom to produce a second passage also adapted for the flow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on the casing and said second member-within said passage, means for admitting fluid under pressure to said respective passages, for driving said revoluble members in one direction, and controllable means capable of operation to reverse the direction of fiow of the motive fluid in one of said passages.

9. A rotary motor having an inner revoluble member, a second revoluble member inclosing said first member but spaced therefrom to produce a passage for the flow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on said respective members within said passage, a casing inclosing said second revoluble member but spaced therefrom to produce a second passage communicating with said first passage and also adapted for the fiow of motive fluid, vanes or blades on the casing and said second member within said second passage, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the motor for driving said revoluble members, and controllable means capable of operation to reverse the direction of ow of the motive fluid through one of said passages.

l0. A rotary motor having a revoluble member divided longitudinally in sections provided with peripheral attaching devices, and vanes or blades carried by said member and positioned between said attaching devices.

1l. A rotary motor havinga revoluble member divided longitudinally in sections provided with attaching devices at their eX- tremities, and vanes or blades carried by said member and positioned at the central part thereof between such attaching devices.

l2. A rotary motor having inner and outer rotating members, shafts for the respective members, the outer member being longitudinally divided in sections, and a device carried by the shaft of said outer mem- JOSEPH KNIGHT.

Witnesses:

ROBERT G. GrRovEs, JOHN E. S. LooKWooD. 

